Television

FREE TO AIR TOP GEAR Channel Nine, 7.30pm CHANNEL Nine's desire to hitch itself to the Top Gear franchise is a no-brainer. Even on the nation's least-watched channel, SBS, it regularly attracted 1 million viewers. The show comes with a massive back catalogue and is an ideal fit for a network that still clings to its cheeky-bloke image. There will inevitably be cries of outrage €” too many ad breaks, deep fears that the 50-minute international version will be trimmed at the edges to fit the commercial TV hour and what will their local version, due on air mid-year, look like?

Missile shield on way

BUCHAREST. The US is to build a scaled-down missile defence shield in Romania by 2012 despite objections from Russia.

Socceroos in uphill battle to survive group

AUSTRALIA can be happy it avoided the fate of fellow Asian qualifier North Korea, which faces Brazil, Portugal and Ivory Coast in the World Cup group stage, but in reality the Socceroos have been done few favours by the draw.

QUIZ ANSWERS

1. South Africa, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Netherlands.

Beauty Reincarnate

Alexandra Maria Lara's life is a far cry from the Romania of her youth, reports Helen Barlow.

Coach To Call The Tune For Code's Wandering Band

PAUL NIXON has coached in Romania, guided a bunch of lightweights around New Zealand and held the reins at Sydney club Norths.

Buffon Brilliance

ITALY 1 ROMANIA 1

Alfredo Gets Chance To Shine

WOLLONGONG FC star Alfredo Estevez flies to Romania today to play in an exhibition match alongside football royalty.

Alfredo In Elite Match

WOLLONGONG FC defender Alfredo Esteves has been invited to take part in an international football extravaganza in Romania later this month.

Leussink Team Impresses In Romania

CORTS-LEUSSINK Engineering impressed the world's largest steel manufacturer recently when a small team from Unanderra successfully revamped three stands of a seven stand finishing mill in Romania.

Romania On The Table

Craig Mathieson speaks to director Cristian Mungiu about the shadow of Ceausescu.

All Blacks Make Fast Work Of The Romanians

NEW Zealand finished the World Cup group stage in style with a spectacular demonstration of running and passing to demolish Romania by 77 points yesterday.

Greeks Ready For Serbia After Win Over Romania

GREECE will play reigning world champion Serbia in a quarter-final of the men's water polo after beating Romania at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre yesterday.

Former Communist Strays Warily Welcomed To Eu Fold

FIREWORKS lit the skies and thousands of people danced at street parties across Romania and Bulgaria to celebrate the entry of the two former Soviet bloc countries to the European Union.

Ex-striker Signs With Wolves

THE Wollongong Wolves look to be building a competitive team under coach John Turner in 2007. The latest signing is former under 20 international defender Wayne Heath, who has also had experience in the old NSL with Brisbane Strikers. Heath has spent the last year and a half playing in Romania of all places, but got homesick and will link with the Wolves early in the new year. Heath played under Turner at Bonnyrigg White Eagles and is the 17th player signed by Wollongong for the 2007 NSW Premier ...

Postcard From Romania

This Eastern European enclave is both stylish and superstitious, writes Katherine Gregory.

Lust For Life

Blistered, wet and tired, Liza Power finds trekking in Romania strangely inspiring.

Take Five Monster Hangouts

This region of western Romania has Bram Stoker to thank for its reputation as the home of creatures of the night. Ever since Stoker decided that chief vampire Count Dracula lived in the region, the area has become synonymous with horror and the living dead. The locals insist that garlic and wooden stakes are not necessary, however, pointing out that it is one of the most beautiful regions in Europe. Among the thick forests are many fabulous medieval cities crammed with architectural highlights ...

Service Interruption

Service interruption: A villager carries a TV set retrieved from the flooded village of Rast, Romania, 300km west of Bucharest. United States Ambassador to Romania Nicholas Taubman said the US would donate $336,000 to help more than 5500 people left homeless by the floods.

Balkans Awash As Danube Hits 100-year Flood Level

THE Danube rose to its highest level in more than a century yesterday, but a breached dam in Romania eased pressure downstream on towns and villages struggling to hold back the floods.